Propeller for vessels.



B. ICRE.

PROPELLER FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION man sEPT.4.1913.

Patented May 9,1916.

3 SHEETS--SHEET l.

B. ICRE.

PROPELLER FOR VESSELS. APPucATloN man SEPT. 4. 19413.

Patented May 9,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON. D. c

` B. ICRE.

PROFELLER FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED sEPT.4. 1913.

Patented May9`,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

rim COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPH co., wAsHxNu'roN. D. c.

BAPTISTE IGRE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROPELLER FOR VESSELS.

risente.,

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Original application filed March 3, 1913, Serial No. 751,875. Divided and this application led September 4, 1913. Serial No. 788,070.

vented certain new and useful Improve-v ments in Propellers for Vessels, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements in propellers for marine vessels of thatV type in which the feathering blades are rotated Vin a horizontal plane, and relates more specically to improvements in the propeller for maritime' and river navigation for which Letters Patent were granted to me heretofore on November 22, 1910, No. 976,178, and to the marine propeller for which I madev application for Letters Patent on August 19, 1911, Ser. No. 645,029, so that the construction of the propeller is not only adapted for smaller vessels, such as submarine boats, yachts, motor-boats`, torpedo-boats and the like, but also in a higher degree forA larger vessels, inasmuch as .repairs can be made to the propeller and 'its operating mechanisms with great facility while the vessel is afloat without necessitating it to go into drydock; and for this pursections forming a cam-track are employed for swinging the feathering blades from the horizontal into vertical position,` and vice versa, during their rotation in the horizontal plane, said sleeve-shaped sections being located on an upright centershaft supported within a hollow rotary mainshaft and keyed to the center-shaft, the lower end of which is supported on a plate independently of the main-shaft. The hollow main-shaft is open at the bottom for ed for use in larger vessels, the propeller being located at one side of the vessel. Fig. 2 1s a similar section showing a modified construction of my propeller, arranged for adjusting the blades to variousV angles of inclination, located at the opposite side of the vessel. Fig. 3 is a detail side-view of the sleeve-sections forming a cam-track for actuating the feathering blades of the propeller, drawn on a larger scale. F ig. 3, a horizontal section on line 3&-33 showing the key-connection of the sleeve-sections with the center-shaft. Figs. l1 and 5 are respectively a detail top-view and an endview of one of the slide-blocks applied to the ends of the cranks of the blade-shafts for moving betweenV the sleeve-sections, and F lgs. 6 and 7 are side-views, partly in section, of face-plates for the sleeve-sections on the interior center-shaft of the propeller.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, A represents a hollow main-shaftwhich is mounted to rotate on a vertical aXis and which is extended through a horizontal cas mg C in the side-wall of the hull and supported in position by upper and lower ball bearings B1, B2, one near the upper end of the shaft and the other below the casing C. The upper ballfbearings B1 comprise an interior ring o, an exterior ring b1, suitably supported in the vessel, and interposed antifriction-balls. The lower ball-bearings B2 comprise a ring b2 carried by the shaft, an outer ring b3 suitably supported in the space below the casing C, and interposed anti friction-balls. Packing rings b4, o5 embrace the main-shaft A and are supported by intermediate plates ZJG on horizontal slide? plates '57, which arelocated respectively on the top and bottom plates of the casing C and connected by screw-rods 68 with stationary brackets b9, om attached respectively to the top and bottom plates of the casing C. Screw-nuts 611 are held by said brackets and rotated by suitable gear-wheel transmissions so as to permit the equal shifting of the slide-plates with the main-shaft in wardly into the casing after the fastening bolts of the slideplates and the driving connections of the main-shaft are disconnected, the top and bottom walls of the casing C being provided with openings o, 01 for this purpose. The middle portion of the hollow Vof the hollow main-shaft A is left open, but

a horizontal partition-plate a is arranged below the hubs A1 for permitting the run- Vningnof the motion-transmitting part in oil.

rlrhe upper end of the hollow main-shaft A is connected with a crank-shaft C2 to which yrotary motion is imparted by suitable con necting rods C3 from the power-shaft vof the engine as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In the center of the hollow main-shaft A is supported a verticalV shaft S. The lower end ofthe center-shaft S is supported by an Y- antifriction thrust-bearing t at the bottom o f the hull, which bearing is guided on horizontal ways w when the main-shaft is shifted into the casing C, after its fastening bolts l are'removed, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The Y upper end of the center-shaft S 1s supported by an antifrictionneck-bearing in the upper end ofthe hollow main-shaft.V

On the middleportion of the shaft S are mounted two sleeve-sections which are atl' tached to the center-shaft S by means of vcross-keys f1, as shown in Fig. 1, or by rings f2, as shown in Fig. 2. The sleevesections f are provided around their abutting ends with flanges which form a camtrack fscomposed of two lower portions,

two upper portions and two intermediate inclined portions, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3. Between the flanges of thek sleevesections are guided slide-blocks orr shoes r i' i that'areapplied to wrist-pins 171 of cranks r2 which are keyed to the inner reduced ends ofthe Shanks lof the blades D. As the hollow main-shaft is rotated and as the slideblocksror shoes 7 travel around the sleeve* sections f along the lower, inclined and upper portions ofthe same, and vice versa, the shanks of the blades vare turned on their axis and the blades movedfrom a horizontal into a vertical position, imparting thereby the driving power to the vessel. A propeller is arranged at each side of the hull, while in smaller vessels the shaft of the propeller y passes the keel, the propeller being located below the same.V The arrangement of the propellers for larger vessels requires that the bevel-gear mechanism S1, S2, which 1s employed for axially turning the interior center-shaft with its sleeve-sections, be located below the lower end of the hollow mainshaft, as shown in Figs. l and 2, so

that the blades can also take a vertical actuating position at the inside of the casings for quickly interrupting the action of the propeller on the vessel without stopping the engine, or for starting the engine without imparting motion to the vessel, while the reversing of the motion of the vessel is accomplished by reversing the engine, and the turning of the vessel by vcontinuing the motion of one propeller and reversing the other propeller. In larger vessels the axial setting of the center-shaft S relatively to the main-shaft is accomplished by power transmitted t0 the bevel-gears S1, r2 from the engine of the vessel. y

The hollow main-shaft in larger vessels is large enough so that a man can easily reach into its lower end and reach the clamping bolts by which the partition-plate and sleeve-sections are fastened to the main and center shafts A and S, so as to permit the release of and the upward and downward movements of the sleeve-sections on the shaft, whereby repairs to the sleeve-sections and to 'the actuating mechanism of the blades can be made. shoes can then also be changed, if required, and all other parts pertaining to the blades repaired. This can be done without removing the center-shaft and blades, as would be the case when the sleeve-sections are made in one integral piece as in the patent heretofore referred to. lVhen repairs to the pro` peller have to be made, such as changing a broken blade, or the propeller itself, this The slide-blocks or work can be made without putting the vessel into drydock, by silnply shifting the entire propeller inwardly into the casing at the interior of the vessel. This is accomplished by disconnecting the main-shaft and its slide-plates, moving the propeller inside into the casing C, and then lowering a gate G, so as to exclude the water. The water in the casing is then pumped out and the repairs made as required, after which the gate isVv reopened and the main-shaft and propeller returned into their former position for work.

As regards the slide-blocks or shoes by which the dilferent movements are imparted from the track on the sleeve-sections to the blades, they have a considerable advantage over the rollers, for the reason that the latter have only a slight bearing at their inner edges of the sleeve-sections, so that they become rapidly worn out by the friction therewith. By substituting slide-blocks having a fiat top and bottom and tapering ends for the rollers bearing on the track of the sleeve-sections, and running the slide-blocks and cranks in oil, the wear of the slideblocks on the sleeve-sections is greatly reduced, so that they last for an indefinite length of time.

The sleeve-sections are provided at their face plates a which are attached by Shanks ni extending at right angles thereto through closed at its inner end, a revoluble propeller,

having blades thereon disposed within said casing and having its shaft projecting through said openings, and in working position, being situated at the outer end thereof, means securing the said propeller in working position, means for rotating said propeller, removably secured plates, exterior of the said casing, encircling the said propeller, and closing the said openings in operative position of the propeller, means for shifting said propeller, and blades and closing plates inwardly into said casing, upon removal of the securing means therefor, and a gate disposed within the vessel adapted to be moved across the said casing when the propeller is shifted inwardly therein, whereby, when the water is pumped out of the casing, access can be secured to the blades of said propeller.

2. In a vessel, a casing extending into the hull, having two opposite sides, provided with openings therein, said casing being closed at its inner end, a revoluble propeller, comprising a cylindrical shaft projecting through said openings, and blades rotatably mounted radially on said shaft, the said shaft in working position situated at the outer end of said casing, means for rotating said shaft, an auxiliary shaft within said p cylindrical shaftV for rotating said blades,

the outermost' blades adapted to assume a working position during rotation of the propeller, the innermost blades adapted to assume a feathering position, means securing the said propeller' in working position, re- 'y movable plates exterior of said casing en circling the said propeller and closing the said openings in operative position of the propeller, means for shifting said propeller, and blades, and closing platesinwardly into said casing upon removal of the securing means therefor, and a sliding gate disposed within the vessel adapted to be moved across the said casing when the propeller is shifted inwardly therein, whereby, when the water is pumped out of said casing, access can be had to the blades of said propeller.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BAPTISTE ICRE.

Witnesses:

JOHN MURTAGH, F. Hose.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente, Washington, D. C. 

